LOS ANGELES, December 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV) today announced that it will be expanding operations into Russia and the Ukraine, a territory with a combined population of over 200 million.

Tim McWilliams, currently Vice President of European Tour Operations for Live Nation Global Touring, has been named Managing Director, Live Nation Russia and Ukraine, which will be opening an office in Moscow in the New Year.

"Establishing an office in Russia is the next step in our global expansion," said Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment. "Russia and nearby markets have become an important part of our global tours in recent years, and by establishing a local presence we can rapidly scale our concerts for over 200 million fans."

Alan Ridgeway, Live Nation President of International & Emerging Markets, said: "Due to the volume of live events that are already taking place in Russia and the Ukraine and the enormous growth potential, we wanted to establish a team to focus specifically on Live Nation's interests in the region. Tim has gained a wealth of knowledge from working with our Global Touring team, and not only has he worked producing high profile events around the world, but his extensive experience in Russia and the Ukraine makes him a perfect fit to direct Live Nation's business in the region."

Tim McWilliams, Managing Director, Live Nation Russia and Ukraine said: "Russia and the Ukraine are markets that deserve our attention and focus. We have learned this through our experiences over the years with artists such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, U2, Shakira and many others. We currently have a solid pipeline of business that goes through the region and this move will only strengthen our position. I am looking forward to working with both our existing and new partners as we develop and expand the company's presence in the region."

Upcoming and recent events promoted by Live Nation in Russia include Sting (Krasnodar November 23 and Rostov-on-Don November 24) and Lady Gaga (St Petersburg December 9 and Moscow December 12). Full details of these and all other shows can be found on http://www.livenation.com.

About Live Nation Entertainment:

Live Nation Entertainment is the world's leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world's top five ecommerce sites, with almost 27 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Front Line is the world's top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit http://www.livenation.com/investors.